All-Natural Bug Block.
HOW SAFE ARE THE ESSENTIAL OILS IN IT?
Over the past few years, everyone has been touting the benefits and remedies of essential oils. Now there seems to be some questioning going on about the potential toxicity and dangers of them.
Last year a well-respected blogger wrote to tell me that she didn’t feel comfortable telling her audience about our Bug Block because the percentage of essential oil to the rest of the recipe was too high. It wasn’t safe, she said.
Where did I go for answers? To avoid getting lost in the online sea of opinions, I skipped the second hand sources and went straight to the single most respected authority on essential oils, Robert Tisserand.
** Update: this was in 2015 and then a few years later, we needed to change out one ingredient to comply with EPA requirements. Read that post and update here.
Here is his review of my Bug Block ratios in direct response to my questions:
Response from Robert Tisserand (RT):
Based on the recipe you gave me, your essential oils total about 7.5%. With the 3 essential oils in equal proportion, that’s 2.5% of each.
According to Mr. Tisserand, for most users, this is completely within the safe zone. Let’s dig in a bit deeper:
Are these safe levels for each of these three oils (citronella, lavender and cedarwood)? RT: Yes they are. Just know that very occasional allergic reactions are possible with almost anything, though I don’t think you need to have a warning on your label.
Are they safe for all ages of people? RT: Well, there are no clear guidelines for a product like this, but 7.5% EO would be high for an infant (up to two years) and might even be high up to 5 years. In the end, your call.
Would changing the individual oil ratio make any difference to safety? RT: No, they are all very safe oils in terms of adverse skin reactions, and also general toxicity.
Does essential oil added to a melted product that would solidify to a solid state make the essential oil less effective? – no, this will not make it less effective, the worst that can happen is that you get slight evaporation and EO loss due to the heat.
The bottom line: this expert feels the amounts and types of ingredients used in our all-natural Bug Block are completely within the safe zone for essential oil usage (with the exception of babies and toddlers, and possibly those under the age of five).
Based on Mr. Tisserand’s review, I have updated my product information to cite a caution of babies and children under five using the product. I’m very grateful to Robert Tisserand for sharing his expertise with me. Mr. Tisserand is the author of Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals-, 2e (aff link). His book is a hefty 700+ pages and pricey, although a bargain for the amount of information he shares in it.
Renee Harris, owner
MadeOn Skin Care
P.S. Now you know the essential oils in this bug block are safe. But do you know why mosquitoes can’t stand them? (It might surprise you). Find out in my next message.